Latvia’s economy expanded at the slowest pace in more than two years in the first quarter as manufacturing contracted. Gross domestic product grew a preliminary 3.1% from a year earlier, compared with a 5.1% advance in the fourth quarter, the Central Statistical Bureau in Riga said Friday. GDP rose 1.2% from the previous quarter. The Baltic country’s economy recorded growth of more than 5% for a second year in 2012 after the world’s deepest recession in 2008-2009 erased almost a quarter of GDP. Expansion will slow to 3.8% this year and 4.1% in 2014, according to European Commission. Retail trade grew 6% from a year earlier between January and March, while construction expanded 9%, according to the statistics office. Manufacturing contracted 5%, it said.
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For over 30 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
